These days, "What do you want to do when you grow up?" is the wrong question to ask children in the USA. The question should be: "What job are you doing now?" American companies are employing more and more young people as consultants(顾问)to evaluate(评估)products for child consumers. The 12-to-19 age group spends more than $100 billion a year in the USA. Specialist agencies help manufacturers ask kids about all the latest trends in clothes, food and other markets. One company, Teenage Research Unlimited, has groups of teenagers who give their decisions on products like jeans. Another company, dole Research Associated, holds two-hour meetings in a room called the "imaginarium". Children are encouraged to play games to get into a creative mood. They have to write down any ideas which come into their heads.

Some manufacturers prefer to do their own market research. The software company Microsoft runs a weekly "Kid's Council" at its headquarter in Seattle, where a group of school children give their decision on the latest products and suggest new ones. They are called young consultants. One 11-year-old consultant, Andrew Cooledge, told them they should make more computer games which are suitable for both boys and girls. Payments for the work are increasingly attractive. Andrew Cooledge was paid $250 and given some software. However, even if their ideas are valuable, the children will never make money. They cannot have the copyright to their ideas.

1.Do children of 12-to-19 age spend more than $100 billion every year in America?

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2.What do the specialist agencies do?

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3.The "imaginariun" is a place where children play games and try to find new ideas, isn't it?

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4.How often does Microsoft run a "Kid' Council" at its headquarter?

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5.What was Andrew paid for his job?

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6.What is your opinion about being a young consultant?

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